


London [Actually] Calling

by Maggies_Scribblings



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, F/M, Field Trip, Fluff, Gabriel Agreste's A+ Parenting, Identity Reveal, LadyNoir - Freeform, Light Angst, London, LtWWS Secret Santa, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Post-Hawk Moth Defeat, Romance, Season/Series 03 Spoilers, Secret Santa, Tourism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:41:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21875335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maggies_Scribblings/pseuds/Maggies_Scribblings
Summary: It’s Christmas time, and magic is in the air. In their final year of Lycée, good grades and exemplary behaviour earned the Miracuclass a trip to London! There is so much to do, so much to see, and a lot to be discovered… and some secrets are just waiting to be revealed.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 27
Kudos: 148





	London [Actually] Calling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HariWrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HariWrites/gifts).



> Merry Christmas, [HariWrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HariWrites/pseuds/HariWrites), I am your LtWWS Secret Santa! I kinda got carried away and this ended up as my own little love letter to London. I know you’re not exactly from there, but I hope you like this fluffy little story. London at Christmas time is magical to me, and I hope I was able to convey that magic. 
> 
> Thank you to the wonderful [RoseGardenTwilight.](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseGardenTwilight/pseuds/RoseGardenTwilight) for the Beta read and enormous help with wonderful tips and improvements.

Marinette could barely contain her excitement as she packed her bag. For the last field trip of their senior year, M. Damocles organized a three-day weekend visit to London just before Christmas, funded by a generous excellence award from the Bourgeois foundation. The purported motive of the tour was to visit the major museums, but between the scheduled activities, they would have some time off for shopping and sight-seeing.

A chill ran down her spine as she remembered the last time the class had tried to cross the Channel, and the rather radical detour the Startrain had suffered. Just one of the countless times a villain interfered with her plans and expectations. Those days felt distant now. She couldn’t wait to finish high school and begin her Arts degree, leaving behind the rough years of juggling school, amateur couture and superheroing.

She smiled to herself as she reflected on how her life had changed in the last year. Of course, she still had the burden of being the Guardian upon her shoulders, but some of the weight had been lifted a few months ago, with the baffling recovery of the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous. They had been posted anonymously to the Police, in an untraceable package, together with the Grimoire and a printed note saying Hawkmoth and Mayura were retiring for health reasons. The only clue was a blurry security recording of a mysterious cloaked woman putting it in a mailbox, but every line of investigation led to a dead end. Chief Raincomprix immediately contacted Ladybug, who verified the authenticity of the jewels and returned them to their rightful places in the Miracle Box. There was much speculation across law enforcement, the superheroes and the media, regarding the reasons for the sudden end of Hawkmoth’s reign of terror.

Truth be told, his activity had decreased in the last year or so, whereas Mayura was mostly absent. The last akuma battle had resulted in a citywide power outage which lasted forty-eight hours. Although the magical ladybugs repaired the physical damage, the power grid took a few hours to come back online.

Ladybug and Chat Noir continued their own investigations into their nemeses, by interrogating their respective Kwamis, but the magic that prevented the disclosure of their masters’ names was still in place, as long as they were alive. Nooroo and Duusu were unable to provide any other clues, as the Grimoire had a recipe for erasing Kwamis’ memories of specific places and conversations. The most crucial information obtained from them was that the symbiosis between Kwami and wielder was so powerful, that selfish intentions on the part of the latter would provoke magical corruption to the former, which in turn made the wielder ill and mentally unstable, thus creating a vicious circle of mutual magical damage.

Packing up extra cookies for Tikki, she remembered how the frustration of not knowing anything about the villains or the reasons for their retirement almost took the pleasure out of knowing it was all over. Almost. Ladybug and Chat Noir continued with their vigilante patrols, and Paris enjoyed an unprecedented decrease in public criminality. The assistant heroes came out once in a while to exercise their Kwamis, and Adult Bunnyx still popped by on rare occasions to prevent some sort of crime or diminish the effects of some natural disaster through early evacuation (as long as it wouldn’t interfere too much with the delicate fabric of time). Marinette packed the Horse and Snake in a hidden pocket in her baggage, just in case.

While folding her favourite Jagged Stone hoodie and arranging it in her bag, she thought fondly about her ex-boyfriend, Luka. Their relationship had been an important part of her growth as a woman. They had experienced many firsts: he was her first boyfriend, her first (intentional and conscious) kiss, her first lover’s quarrel, the first time she was unable to lie her way out of missed dates due to her secret identity. Ultimately, she could not bring herself to share that part of her life, and he was not willing to stay in a relationship where secrets were kept. He was her first breakup, too. He then landed a gig as a backup guitarist with their idol Jagged Stone, and she was happy that they had split up. His gentle, considerate nature would have made him miss out on that opportunity just for her sake. This way, they parted as friends — it broke both their hearts, but both knew it was for the best.

She arranged her accessories in the bag. It was chilly in London, so she packed an extra scarf. It was a pink version of the one she had made for Adrien, once upon a time. She laughed softly, shaking her head and feeling her cheeks blush a little. Gosh, she was so silly when she was thirteen! She remembered all the embarrassing moments she had had with Adrien and how she could hardly speak or move coherently in his presence. Over time, and as each of them were seeing other people, she had finally managed to speak to him coherently, and they had become good friends and even occasional confidants.

She opened a drawer on her bedside table to look for her favourite pair of gloves, black with a green paw print and green silicone finger pads so she could use her smartphone. They had been a test run for a present for Chat Noir. He continued to look in on her occasionally, and she not only welcomed but loved his visits: after all, he was her best friend when she transformed. Their partnership had become comfortable over the years. One day, shortly after she started dating Luka, he confided to Marinette that he had given up on Ladybug as a love interest, as he realized she would never love him like he loved her, and forced himself to move on. He started dating one of his best friends and declared himself happy. There was a little bit of her that regretted the loss of his love, but she knew it was a selfish feeling. She could relate to him giving up on a true love. She had given up on Adrien, too, when she saw how much her friend Kagami loved him. She knew he loved another girl, and she would not put herself in a position to prevent his happiness.

Marinette looked at her checklist: packing, almost done. She added a sketchbook and some pencils — you never know when inspiration might hit. One of the visits on the schedule was the Victoria & Albert Museum of Art and Design, and she was looking forward to explore the fashion exhibitions.

A photo slipped out from her sketchbook. It was one of the “unofficial” class pictures they had taken in the Place des Vosges. How had it gotten there? Gosh, they all looked so young! How many years ago was that? Three years ago? Four? She was turning eighteen next year, so it was probably four, she concluded while absent-mindedly touching her earrings. She returned the photo to the corkboard above her bed and closed the bag. They would have a very early start tomorrow, so she’d better turn in early.

* * *

Adrien had finished his packing and was trying to get some sleep, but he too was recalling the past year. This time of the year always did that to him. He had grown to hate the season, after his mother’s disappearance, but over the years his friends and girlfriend made him cherish the holidays again. He went all out buying them expensive gifts with handwritten heartfelt notes.

His father’s emotional and often physical absence urged him to find love and warmth outside the house. Gabriel didn’t even control his schedule any more, having grown even more isolated, bitter and world-weary. Adrien felt like something had died inside of him ever since the news from Tibet.

A little over a year ago, Gabriel and Nathalie summoned Adrien to a meeting, where they informed him that his mother’s body had been recovered in Tibet, and was being flown to Paris that very day. All the previous efforts to find her had been fruitless because she had been buried at the foot of a mountain under an enormous avalanche. After the hottest summer ever in the region, the snow melted enough to reveal her body. With tears in his eyes, Gabriel told him the ice maintained her features almost intact. They would be able to hold a ceremony and finally lay her to rest.

> “I am sorry I could not bring her back, son.” That didn’t sit well with Adrien. As he told the story, they had been separated during a storm, and Gabriel managed to go back to their base camp while Émilie and her Sherpa guide had vanished without a trace.
> 
> “It’s alright, Father,” Adrien sighed. “It’s not like you could go back in time to save her. She is back now. Now we know. Now she can rest and we can move on.”
> 
> “Yes… Move on…” Almost imperceptibly shaking his head, Gabriel collected himself and dismissed Adrien. “Nathalie will organize the services and will send the programme to your calendar. Do you think you will need therapy? She can organize that as well.”
> 
> Adrien didn’t know how to react but accepted the offer. He stood up and moved as if to hug his father, only for him to shrink back as if repulsed.
> 
> “Thanks, Adrien, Nathalie, that will be all. Now please leave me, I have an important work videoconference.”

Adrien rolled over in bed to find Plagg’s fluorescent eyes looking back at him.

“You should really get some shut-eye, kid. You have an early wake-up call tomorrow. Besides, I can’t sleep with you tossing and turning like that.”

“Okay… good night, Plagg.” Adrien rolled back to the other side. He tried to empty his mind, to no avail.

His mind took him back to the day of the funeral service. Everything was very tasteful and proper. It was closed to the media, naturally, but selected images were strategically “leaked” later. Some of his mother’s friends and family read their eulogies: aunt Amélie, Audrey Bourgeois (who delivered a surprisingly heartfelt speech about her oldest friend), and finally himself. His father refused to speak — he was a mess. Nathalie was right beside him, dark spots under her eyes and visibly paler and skinnier than Adrien had ever seen her.

Nathalie quit just after that. She told Adrien that the stress of being a 24/7 personal assistant and parent by proxy was ruining her health. Last he heard, she had gone to L.A. to work for some movie mogul. Her latest LinkedIn posts showed her, as prim and proper as ever, only a little suntanned and wearing lighter-coloured pantsuits.

Gabriel eventually retired from the company and kept to his rooms. On the rare occasions Adrien saw him now, he looked older and more caustic than ever.

As Adrien rolled over yet again, his eyes fell on one of his fencing trophies. It was a second-place cup — of course, whenever Kagami competed she won. He remembered their two years of dating. They helped each other rebel against their respective parents, little by little: missing a fencing practice here, sneaking out of a high-profile dinner-party there… They did have fun like they never had before. Eventually, their parents, seeing the union as an interesting PR opportunity for their companies, endorsed the relationship and allowed them more freedom, to the point of letting them travel together to New York one summer (Gorilla accompanying them as bodyguard and chaperone, naturally). After the initial adventures, the relationship fell into a rut. They were too similar: none of them could surprise the other any more. Kagami’s upbringing was even stricter than his own, and when she turned eighteen and unlocked her trust fund, she took her rebelliousness to the extreme.

> “Let’s travel the world!” she said, about three months ago, as they were cuddling in his sofa while watching some romantic comedy.
> 
> “I can’t do that!...” Adrien chuckled, but her expression was serious. “I can’t leave Paris. I can’t leave my Father. Or my friends! University is starting soon.”
> 
> “So, take a sabbatical.” Kagami stood up and paced the room, gesturing enthusiastically. “We’ll have so much fun! We’ll eat gross food in the street markets in Thailand, take safaris in Kenya, go sightseeing in New York, join a hippie community in India!”
> 
> Adrien rolled his miraculous ring. It had never weighed him down before. But he had accepted the responsibility, and was not about to give up on it. Even if Hawkmoth was gone, Paris still needed him. Ladybug still needed him. Yin and Yang, and all that.
> 
> “I… can’t, Kagami, I’m sorry. It’s just not what I want to do in my life. I have travelled plenty when I was modelling. Let’s stay here in Paris, we’ll get an apartment when I turn eighteen, we’ll be free then!”
> 
> “No! I thought you of all people would understand!” Tears started welling up in her eyes as she knelt next to him on the sofa and took his hands. “I’ve been locked inside all my life. Now that I am independent, I want to see what’s outside. Outside of Paris, of France, of Japan!”
> 
> “Sorry, Kagami. We can still travel, on holidays, in the summer…” Adrien’s voice faltered, but he knew what would come next.
> 
> “No, Adrien. I can’t stay here any more. As long as my mother is near, she will try to keep me under her thumb. I won’t blame you for wanting to stay, but I can’t let you keep me here either.”
> 
> “You know I would never do that.” He kissed her softly and caressed her hands, “if you want to go, I won’t hold you back. I’ll be happy as long as you are happy.”
> 
> “I need to get out of here, Adrien. If I stayed just for you I know I would end up resenting you for it. And if you came with me against your will, you would resent me. And it’s no use trying to keep it long-distance. Our lives here may feel perfect… but to me, this is too perfect, too predictable, too safe.”
> 
> Adrien laughed to himself at that. Safe, indeed… he thought of all the times he had died as Chat Noir.
> 
> “Is this it, then?” Adrien looked absently at the TV, trying not to cry.
> 
> “This is it, sweetie.” She sat down and nestled next to him. “Let’s finish the movie, though. Your father will notice if I go home too early.”
> 
> He was surprised to feel less heartbroken than he expected. He was sad, of course, it was like a bit of him had been torn out. But as he enjoyed the last few moments with her, he knew it was the right decision for both, and they would be all right.

Adrien finally fell asleep just after two. Great, he would get a good four hours. He’d had worse.

* * *

Marinette set four alarms for that morning. Two of them in old alarm clocks down on her desk, so she couldn’t switch them off and go back to sleep. It worked. She was up and running well in time to meet the rest of the class outside the school. She wasn’t even the last one to get there!

“Hey guys!” she shouted as she ran to her friends. “Everyone ready?”

Her girl squad shrieked and welcomed her in a hug.

“You made it!” said a few of them at the same time, followed by a collective laugh. Marinette feigned annoyance but joined in with her own excited giggle.

“Hello, girls!”

Marinette turned and almost bumped into a chest. A nice-looking one. It was Adrien’s. She wasn’t as flustered as when she was fourteen, and yet, she couldn’t help feeling a little embarrassed. He had grown into such a fine young man.

A collective “Hello, Adrien!” saved her from having to come up with her greeting.

The rest of the classmates arrived and got into the bus that would take them to the station. Despite the early hour, the excitement was palpable. They sang silly songs on the way, annoying bus driver and teachers alike.

The friendship shared by the class was unbreakable after all they had gone through.

Marc had transferred into the class to be near Nathaniel, but the outward reason was to have more literature classes and writing mentorship from Mme. Bustier.

Chloé took a year off school, with the pretext of spending time in New York with her mother. However, Sabrina let it slip that she had self-checked into a six-month-long, new-age wilderness programme for troubled youth, recommended by a therapist for her bullying and entitled behaviour.

Lila had finally been expelled after trying to frame M. Damocles for stealing a special edition comic book from a convention. What she didn’t know was that he entered a cosplay competition as Knightowl, and was receiving an award at the exact same time as the robbery.

The channel crossing was blissfully uneventful this time, and surprisingly quick. The class whooped and clapped as the train emerged from the _Chunnel_ in Kent. It was a relief to see the light of day again, after the last experience. The whole class settled down and resumed their conversations.

Marinette was looking out the window, enjoying the beautiful Kent countryside. Well, as much as she could with the train going at high speed.

They arrived at St. Pancras station just after eight-thirty; that would give them a full three days in London. Mme. Bustier handed them each the travel cards she had bought.

“Now, these are your Oyster cards. There should be enough credit for the three days, but if you need more, let me know and I will help you top them up. We will check-in and leave our bags in the hostel now.”

M. Damocles had booked accommodations at a youth hostel near the station so that they wouldn’t have to travel around the city lugging baggage. It was a good central spot from where they could walk or take the Tube to most locations in their itinerary.

The teachers decided to book a mixed dormitory where the whole class could be together. They figured there would be bunkmate swapping and bed-sharing shenanigans anyway, they might as well all stay in one room where they could be easily watched. Many of them were adults, after all, and any hanky panky would be unlikely in a packed dorm.

Shortly after nine, all were ready to start exploring the city. They had the morning free, with the first Museum tour booked for two o’clock at the British Museum.

“Okay, children, do you all have your Oysters and phones? We will give you a little leeway to explore on your own, but you must be contactable and enable your FDFieldTrip app on your devices at all times, so we can call you if we need to.”

Max and Markov developed FDFieldTrip, a private app designed specifically for the tour. Parents had to sign a special privacy consent to install the app on the students’ phones. It showed the location of all the kids at all times, allowed the teachers to send out reminders for each planned tour and even allowed for sharing selfies with their parents at home. Mme. Bustier asked to see their phones to confirm the app was installed and they had enough battery.

“As we discussed, form groups of at least four, and stay together at all times. London is a very large and busy city, we don’t want anyone getting lost!” M. Damocles boomed his last warnings. “There will be a teacher with each group on the tours, but for the free time you are on your own, within reason!”

“Yes, M. Damocles!” the class replied in almost unison. They divided into groups.

Marinette paired with Alya, who grabbed Nino’s arm, who in turn high-fived Adrien into the group.

Myléne and Ivan teamed up with his bandmates Juleka and Rose. She called Sabrina over, as she had pretty much adopted her during Chloé’s absence.

Finally, Max, Kim, Alix, Nathaniel and Marc formed the third group.

Alya pulled out her dog-eared Time Out London Guide. She had bought it at a second-hand book shop back home two weeks ago, read it cover-to-cover and highlighted and marked all the locations she didn’t want to miss.

“Okay, so, we have the Piccadilly line right here at St. Pancras. I suggest we start in the middle of the action and check out Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and then stroll down to Covent Garden for lunch! That way we are close enough to get to the British Museum by two, even if we don’t have time we’ll always be near a Tube station!”

“Whoa, Babe, you really studied that thing! I’m game if you all are!” Nino put an arm around Alya’s shoulder and opened the GPS app on his phone.

“Good idea, let’s start slow. I really need to stretch my legs after the train ride!” Marinette demonstrated this by bouncing in place.

“Well, let’s go, then!” Adrien said, extending an arm as if leading the way for the others.

Adrien had been in London plenty of times, to visit his mother’s family, not to mention fashion work. But it was the first time he had to take the Tube and was able to walk around freely. They picked up a Tube Map (Marinette put one in her purse, after all, it was an iconic piece of graphic design history!) and after a few wrong turns, emerged from the subway station to face the fountain in the centre of the square.

“Hey, that’s the famous Cupid statue!” Nino said, only to be corrected by Adrien.

“That’s actually Anteros, he’s Eros’s brother. Eros is sort of the Greek version of Cupid!”

“Whatever, bro… he’s way smaller than I imagined it!”

“I know, right? It looked a lot bigger in the guide.” Alya said.

They continued to walk in the direction of Leicester Square before stopping for coffee at a bakery.

“I thought English food was supposed to be bad… These look so good!” Marinette gasped in surprise.

“What, don’t tell me you never watched The Great British Bake Off!” Adrien teased her, “Brits are famous for their cakes! Maybe they are not so delicate as French ones, but they are definitely delicious! My favourite is the carrot cake. Wanna share a slice?”

“Yes! I’m not hungry enough for a full slice, so that sounds perfect!”

They placed their order and sat down. Marinette took her first bite and her eyes almost popped out of their sockets. She pointed at the cake with her fork and almost screamed.

“Oh… my… Gosh!... This is SO GOOD!”

Adrien laughed and tried to wrestle the fork from her hand.

“My turn now, come on!”

“Huh-huh, I changed my mind! It’s all for me!” she shook her head and made a flimsy barrier with her arm around the cake.

“Awww, come on, Marinette, lemme just have a bit!” Adrien gave her his Blue Steel look and she lost it.

“No. That doesn’t work any more!”

“What do you mean _any more_?”

Alya and Nino had finally decided on their order and joined them. Alya had chosen a Madeira Cake with lemon curd frosting. Marinette looked their way for a moment to study it, and Adrien quickly swiped the carrot cake right from under her nose.

“Gotcha!” he said, holding the plate above his head where she couldn’t reach it.

“Okay, fair enough. Can I try a little bite of that, Alya?”

“No way, I know what your _little bites_ are like! Here.” Alya took her coffee spoon, cut up a bit of her slice and fed it to Marinette.

She tasted it and rolled her eyes back in ecstasy, as she licked the last of the curd from the spoon. Adrien could not look away. The noises she was making were almost indecent.

“Ohhhh… hmmmm… sooo good! I have to bring some of this home for Papa!”

Adrien handed her back the carrot cake, blushing a little. He wouldn’t mind watching her eat for a little longer.

“Erm… here… you can have it. I… you know, model diet.”

“Aww, Adrien. That’s so sweet, but I was only joking, you know! We can share.” She made a big show of cutting the cake in precise halves, as they had taken a bit each, and set the plate between them. “Fair is fair!”

* * *

They continued their walk, energized by the caffeine and sugar. They spotted the Charlie Chaplin statue in Leicester Square and took a few funny photos. After a few pics around the square and the cinemas, they continued along towards Covent Garden. Passing the Hippodrome Casino, Nino excitedly took some photos.

“Dude, it’s The Hippodrome! Do you know how many jazz legends played here? This is historical!”

Moving on, they could hardly hide their excitement. They passed the Charing Cross junction with Shaftesbury Avenue and all the major theatres. Covent Garden was just a few blocks away.

Marinette’s jaw dropped when she saw the old market. It was packed with tourists, of course, but they were still able to take in the building and the surrounding Arcades. They stopped for a few minutes watching a street performer, before entering the market building. Only a few traditional shops remained, most of the arcade taken over by chain stores, but the charm remained

Adrien took Marinette’s hand and pointed excitedly at an old-fashioned looking toy store.

“My mother used to bring me to this store when I was little! Come on!”

It felt like entering a magical world, with antique toys, pop-up books, dollhouses, stuffed animals, shadow boxes and kaleidoscopes of all shapes and sizes. Marinette was lost in the pop-up book section, Nino examined the music boxes and Alya selected some wooden gifts for her little sisters.

Marinette looked for Adrien to show him a funny card, but he was nowhere to be found. Leaving the card in its place, she exited the shop while the others were on the queue to pay. She spotted him just outside, hiding his face in his hands.

“I was wondering where you were! I was beginning to think you—” Marinette stopped herself just in time to see Adrien hurriedly composed himself, blinking away some imminent tears.

“What’s wrong? Are you alright?”

“It’s nothing— well— I mean— You know when you have such a vivid memory, it’s like you’ve gone back in time? For a moment there, I almost expected my mother to be in there with me…” his voice faded out. “It’s silly, never mind.”

Marinette wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. She felt him take a deep breath and hugging back, like it was exactly what he needed. After a few seconds, she pulled back to look at him, rubbing his arms in a calming pattern.

“It’s _not_ silly, and it’s _not_ nothing. You can _always_ confide in me, okay?”

Adrien nodded in reply, taking a deep breath just before the others joined them. None the wiser, Nino suggested they looked for somewhere to have lunch.

* * *

They explored the alleys between Covent Garden and Charing Cross. Alya said there were many restaurants off the beaten track, in between the back doors of the huge theatres. They eventually found a tiny Greek restaurant that looked cosy, affordable and mostly tourist-free. The owners, an adorable elderly couple from Athens, welcomed them as family. The walls were covered with photos of them posing with celebrity actors who had eaten there, many taken before they were famous, starting out in the London stages.

Marinette let out a small squeak. The fattest black cat Adrien had ever seen was rubbing her leg, brazenly begging for food.

“Just ignore her,” said the owner. “She always does that. If you don’t pay attention she will go away.”

“Are you a spoiled kitty cat?” Marinette cooed, bending down to pet her. “Do you really think you need more food, Kitty?”

“Mrreow,” the cat answered, allowing her to pet behind her ears.

“I didn’t know you were a cat person!” Adrien bent down to look at her. “I am ap _paw_ led I never noticed that!”

Marinette snorted. “Well, I personally prefer hamsters, but I can’t resist a black cat. Especially one as needy as this one, aren’t you, Kitty?”

A tiny little bell rang in the back of Adrien’s mind when she said that, but he couldn’t put a finger on it. Their food was being served, so they enjoyed the meal in animated conversation, and took a few photos with the hosts. After paying, they walked to the nearest station and took the Tube to meet the rest of the class outside the British Museum.

* * *

The tour of the museum was very interesting, if exhausting. There was plenty to see and learn. Alix gaped at the Rosetta Stone and lectured everyone on its importance in deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

Adrien pointed at the mummified cats and elbowed Marinette.

“Now _these_ guys knew what they were doing. Treating cats as the Gods they are. Aren’t they _purr_ ty?”

“You’re a silly kitty!!” Marinette said almost as a reflex, then clamping her mouth with her hand. He didn’t skip a beat, bending down into her personal space.

“I beg your _paw_ rdon? Did you call me a silly kitty?” There was that nagging bell again.

“No!? I didn’t? I said… willy-nilly! Yeah, that’s what I said. You don’t go around punning like that, willy-nilly!” Her cheeks had reddened significantly, but he couldn’t tell whether it was from laughter or embarrassment.

“Hmm, because I would have been flattered if you did, that’s all.” Adrien smirked and gestured dramatically at the mummies, “Look at them! _Meow_ nificent creatures, aren’t they?”

“Stop it!” she wheezed. “This is a serious museum. People come here to learn!”

Adrien realized that he was indeed starting to learn a little more about his pretty friend, but refrained from mentioning that.

After finishing the museum tour, everyone groaned in exhaustion. It had been a long day, with an early start and lots of walking around. The teachers suggested they should have a light meal and turn in early.

* * *

Bedtime was uneventful. The teachers ordered the boys to take the bottom bunks while the girls took the top ones. That would be the best way to avoid any improper conduct. Kim whined he wanted to be on top, eliciting a few laughs from the classmates.

It wasn’t long before they were all fast asleep. Well, almost; Marinette waited until everyone was snoring and climbed off her bunk (which she strategically picked, being the closest to the door) and left the dorm holding her toiletry bag, heading to the closest bathroom.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t let you out sooner, Tikki! You can eat now,” she whispered as the Kwami flew out of the bag and circled her head.

“No problem, Marinette! But I really needed to stretch after being locked up all day.” Taking one of the offered cookies, she asked, “And how are you enjoying London so far?”

“I love it! It’s so good to finally get away and have a little time off!”

“I’m happy we made it this time,” Tikki giggled. “And hopefully I will be hiding in your purse the whole weekend!”

Marinette waited for her Kwami to finish, then flushed as a decoy, brushed her teeth and went back to the dorm. She almost bumped into Adrien in the darkened corridor. Both stepped aside to get out of each other's way — first to the left, then to the right, both apologized, and repeated a few times.

“I forgot the traffic goes the other way here,” Adrien said, taking a larger stride to his left and a small nod. “After you, I insist, My— madam.”

She suppressed a giggle and walked past him, with a smile and a curtsey.

“Why, thank you, my brave knight!”

Trying not to laugh, he took a deep bow, “At your service, Princess! Thank you for the dance!”

As she turned away, Marinette’s sneaking suspicions nagged at her brain. The way he bowed and smirked, the way he said Princess… Could it be?

No, she had seen Adrien and Chat Noir together once, right? Well, not exactly together… It was that time his bodyguard was akumatized, and Chat Noir had been so late! And then Adrien just waved from afar… with a helmet on.

She walked into the dorm and climbed up to her bed, and despite her fatigue, her thoughts wandered between two blond boys for some time before she fell asleep.

* * *

Adrien lingered in the corridor until Marinette closed the door behind her, before going into the bathroom.

“Finally! I thought you were going to keep me locked up forever!” Plagg took a wheel of Camembert and sat on a shelf above the sink.

“Plagg, I think I found her!” Adrien was pacing nervously and whisper-shouting.

The tiny god sputtered and almost choked on his cheese. “What? The bakery girl? I thought you had ruled her out already!”

“Yes, but there was something in her voice just now.” Adrien stopped to squeeze some toothpaste on his brush, hands a little unstable. “And earlier, with that cat. The way she was talking to the cat was exactly like Ladybug when she’s teasing Chat Noir me!” He argued while vigorously brushing his teeth.

“Don’t harass me, kid, remember I can’t confirm or deny anything. Sugarcube is even scarier than the Bug. Besides,” Plagg made fake mystical gestures, “you know... _magic_!”

“Yeah, yeah, blah-blah-blah! Just eat already, I wanna go to bed!” Adrien put away his things and Plagg flew into his pyjama pocket, yawning.

* * *

Saturday was going to be the busiest day of the trip. They were going for a guided tour of the Science Museum in the morning, then a break for lunch. The afternoon offered them a choice between the Natural History or the Victoria & Albert Museums, just next door. After that they would have another free period until their nine o’clock curfew.

The first visit was fascinating, and even though the tour was over three hours, they still felt like they could have spent the whole weekend in there and still not see it all!

At one pm they sat in the Picnic Terrace of the Science Museum to eat their packed lunches. Marinette discreetly took off her shoes and stretched her toes, glad to rest for a little bit.

After lunch they broke up in groups again.

Marinette, Adrien, Alix, Nathaniel, Marc, Juleka and Rose opted to visit the Victoria & Albert Museum with Mme. Bustier, while the rest of the class joined M. Damocles to go to the Natural History Museum.

There was a special temporary exhibition at the V&A dedicated to Mary Quant and her work. It wasn’t part of the scheduled tour, but Marinette begged their teacher to let her split from the group.

“Please, please, Mme. Bustier! You know how I love fashion! She was an icon! I promise I’ll behave and join you for the rest of the visit.

Mme. Bustier was adamant, “I’m sorry, dear, I can’t let you go off alone. And as none of the others seem to be interested in it, you have to stay with the main group.”

“I would like to see the special exhibit too, Madame,” said Adrien, moving next to Marinette. “I am interested in fashion too, well, obviously, and my father interned in her company in the eighties. Can we both go?”

“Alright, I will let you go,” Mme. Bustier finally conceded. “After all, you’ll be inside the Museum. Text me through the FDFieldTrip app when you’re finished, okay? And no leaving under any circumstances without us! Stay together the whole time, I’ll be checking your location frequently.”

They both jokingly stood at attention, saying a “Yes, Madame” at the same time, Adrien throwing in a two-finger salute. Marinette observed the gesture and the little bell on the back of her mind rang once more.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be inseparable!” Adrien said, taking Marinette’s hand and holding it up, “consider us _stitched_ together for the rest of the day!”

“You’re so silly,” Marinette laughed, but did not let go of his hand even as they walked away.

They found their way to the temporary exhibition. Marinette hadn’t realized there was an additional fee to access the special collection. She let go of his hand to get her wallet from her bag, only for Adrien to stop her.

“This one’s on me.”

“Oh. But—”

“No buts. I’ll write it off as research for the Company.” He smiled and winked at her, and her heart skipped a beat.

“Th— thanks, Adrien. I’ll get the next one.”

“I'll hold you to that!”

* * *

The collection was wonderful. It had several original dresses, sketches, photos and personal documents.

“She’s so amazing!… everyone talks about the miniskirt and Twiggy look, but she did so much more! Look at the way she combines old-fashioned collars and PVC…” bouncing towards another display, “… and the makeup line! I remember playing with my _Nonna_ ’s old compact with the flower logo.”

Marinette was so enthusiastic, explaining the designs and completing the information from each window with her own knowledge and taste. Adrien knew she liked fashion, but had no idea how passionate she was. Her gusto was contagious, and he asked follow-up questions just to see her eyes shine and watch her hands as they traced the silhouettes on the dress forms. She was leading him by the hand from one section to the other, occasionally sitting on the floor to sketch and note down details and colours on her notepad. He sat next to her and observed the way her pencil moved, swiftly and surely, almost like it had a life of its own. Her tongue stuck out when she was working, and it was the cutest thing he’d ever seen. When she was focussed on a particular pattern or design, her eyes moving quickly along the mannequins and her brow furrowed in concentration, his heart fluttered and he couldn't look away. It was the exact same expression he’d seen countless times, whenever Ladybug tried to decipher a use for her Lucky Charm.

* * *

Towards the end of the exhibit, there was a special picture collage captioned _Mary Quant’s influences in today’s fashion_.

“Hey, your dad’s here!” Marinette was pointing at one of the photos showing a very young (and handsome, she had to admit) Gabriel Agreste sewing a top model into a dress, under Mary’s watchful eye.

“Wow. He looks so different,” Adrien sighed. “So young and… carefree!”

Marinette took his hand again. She had been at Émilie’s service, the last time Gabriel was out in public. He had looked many years older than his real age, a mere shadow of her former idol.

“You okay? Want to talk about it?” She squeezed his hand in comfort.

Adrien shook his head and a few tears fell down his cheek.

“Sorry to be such a bummer. I’ll be okay. it’s just… I can hardly remember the last time I saw my father this happy. I saw him smile maybe twice after Mom went missing.”

Marinette gave him a side hug, stroking his back in soothing motions at the same time.

“Come on, let’s find Mme. Bustier.”

They joined their classmates to see the rest of the museum. She noticed his mood improve little by little, and by the time they reached the gift shop he was back to his usual cheerfulness and silly jokes.

Marinette admired the special edition Mary Quant items, in particular, a Mary Quant tote bag and her autobiography, but didn’t buy anything.

When everyone was out of the shop, Adrien excused himself.

“Oh, I forgot. I wanted to get a gift for Father. I’ll be right back.”

As he rejoined them, he was smiling and his backpack was full. Marinette noticed how kind it was to get a nice gift for his father, even when she knew their relationship was complicated.

When they left the museum it was just after five and the sun had set. The two groups and their teachers met as planned, and announced a surprise for their students: a full hour in the Ice Rink at the Natural History Museum! The kids all whooped and bounced excitedly — there was nothing more Christmas-y than ice-skating, right?

Marinette whispered into her purse to Tikki, as she laced up her loaner skates, “I wish I could use your special power! I haven’t skated without Stalac Tikki in years!”

“You’ll be alright, Marinette! It’s like riding a bike, as they say!”

“The problem is I usually fall when riding my bike, too!”, Marinette sighed, before standing up with a little wobble. Over the years and with her off-schedule activities, she had built up some more muscle and strength, her clumsiness mostly gone. Still, balancing in steel blades was not the same as swinging from the rooftops in a yo-yo string, and she didn’t have a magical suit to protect her. She entered the rink, never letting go of the sideboards. After a few tentative steps she was able to find her equilibrium and let go, risking a few wider strides as she felt her more sure of herself.

As focussed as she was on trying not to fall, she didn’t see a little kid coming in her direction until the last minute. Marinette was able to step away from him, but lost her balance and started to fall. She closed her eyes and was already thinking she was going to ruin her weekend, when she felt someone catch her, just before hitting the ice. She opened her eyes to find green ones looking back at her.

“You okay?” Adrien asked her, helping her back to her feet.

“Yes. Glad I had someone to fall for… I— I _mean fall back_ on!”

He let out a loud laugh. “ _Snow_ problem! At your service, Princess!”

There was the overdramatic bow she’d seen countless times. And the nickname only Chat Noir used for her. As he straightened up, she brought her finger close to his neck on impulse, as if to ring his bell, but when her mind caught up with the action, she just poked his chest in warning:

“You’re on _thin ice_ mister! Enough with the silly puns!” Her smile belied her words, though, and Adrien smirked back as he replied.

“I swear I thought of an ice pun, but now it just _slipped_ my mind.”

“Well, you really think you can _break the ice_ with these, huh? Come on, I’ll race you!”

“You sure about— hey!” but she was already gone. She was pumped up by her own confidence and the easiness of their banter, so different from their early days of friendship. He was a more experienced skater, though, and soon caught up with her. He grabbed her by the waist and pirouetted them both to a stop, whispering softly in her ear: “Gotcha!”

Marinette felt her knees weaken again, but this time it wasn’t for lack of balance.

After that, the whole class all had loads of fun. They made a conga line, then the taller guys made a tunnel with their legs so that the girls could slide under them, and finally they improvised a mini ice-hockey game.

The next stop on the schedule was a quick visit to Harrod’s to see the famous window decorations and shop for souvenirs. Marinette got a tin of Earl Grey tea bags for her mother and a pack of Scottish shortbreads for her father.

They had a quick fast-food dinner and then returned to the hostel.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when the fire alarm went off.

Mme. Bustier and M. Damocles ushered all the students out in a single file, Marinette and Adrien taking initiative in calming their colleagues and making sure nobody was left behind, before separately slipping away to transform.

The Fire Brigade was quick to arrive, go in and sweep the hostel for the fire. From the rooftop across the street, Chat Noir observed, trying not to be seen, when he heard a thump right behind him.

“Well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” Ladybug greeted him.

“Hello Milady!” he replied, feigning surprise, “but I don’t think that pun applies in this case!”

“I’m not even going to ask what are you doing here… coincidence, once again, right?”

“I guess your luck rubbed off on me. Anyway, I checked the hostel, there’s nobody else there. Some civilians managed to get everybody out pretty fast. I don’t even think there’s any fire.” He exaggeratedly dusted off his gloved hands.

“Hmmm… I agree.” She looked away from the hostel and back at him. ”So, you were in the neighbourhood?”

“Something like that,” he chuckled. “You?”

“Something like that. Don’t forget I have the Horse Miraculous. I can teleport anywhere.”

Feeling more and more suspicious, Chat Noir moved closer and observed her eyes.

“Unless you were somehow able to turn the Miraculous into contact lenses, I don’t think you’re using it.”

Ladybug sputtered a little and replied, “Well, not now I’m not!”

“Hmmm. I wonder how you heard about this all the way in Paris, though,” he wondered aloud, tapping his chin and trying not to grin, before moving to the edge of the roof to look back down at the crowd. “But I guess we can talk about this later. Right now I need to check up on a friend. I can’t see her with her group.”

He saw Ladybug straighten up, and her face blanch. Taking a few steps back, she said, with a forced smile and pointing at a non-existing watch, “Wow, is that the time? Gotta run! Kay-hugs-bye!”

 _“Cheerio!_ ” he replied, and laughed softly as she swung away in the direction opposite to the hostel. However, the ruse didn’t fool him, as his enhanced eyesight followed her movements while she doubled back to the alley beside the hostel.

“Gotcha, Princess!”

* * *

The fire scare turned out to be a false alarm: some guests had decided to make popcorn at two in the morning, and left them on the stove for a little too long, triggering the smoke detector.

When all was clear the guests were allowed to return to their dorm. Marinette noticed Adrien was the last one to get in.

Soon the room was mostly silent except for the sounds of people sleeping. Tikki had eaten right after Ladybug detransformed, and was now sleeping deeply in the pocket of her pyjamas. Marinette had no such luck: she was too pumped up on adrenaline from the scare. Perking up her ears, she heard the sound of a zipper being opened carefully, followed by two voices seemingly arguing in a very hushed tone, which was replaced by what sounded like munching sounds. _Who could be chatting and eating at this time, and after all this?_

In the morning, the hosts treated all the guests (except the culprits, who were still nursing a hangover from whatever intoxicated them last night) to a complimentary full English breakfast in the main meal room.

The class was delighted with the different foods on offer: beans on toast, bangers, mushrooms, bacon, eggs, black pudding and tomatoes.

Marinette was wearing her sunglasses indoors, as she sat alone at one of the tables. She hadn’t been able to sleep after all the commotion. She was more and more convinced that Adrien could be Chat Noir, but what if it was just wishful thinking? What if the similarities were just coincidences? She sipped her coffee and nibbled at a toast with marmalade: the full breakfast was too heavy for her.

Nino, Adrien and Alya joined her, plates heaped with food.

“Good morning, sunshine!” Alya said, much too cheerful for Marinette’s taste.

“How can you all be so perky after last night?” she grunted.

“Late nights, early mornings: it’s all in a day’s work when you’re a model,” Adrien replied, framing his face in a Vogue-like gesture.

“Silly kit— erm— silly kid!” Clearing her throat and changing the subject, she turned to Alya. “So, what’s in the programme for today?”

“Well, today is our free day. We don’t have any visits planned, so we’re on our own!” Alya pulled out her guide while stabbing a sausage and taking a bite. “I suggest Camden Market in the morning, and after lunch we head to Soho and then the Big Ben!”

“Are you sure we can make it on time? We have to be back here at 5:30 to get the baggage and catch the train at 6:30!” Adrien fretted, used to adhere to strict schedules.

“I think so,” Alya assured, “it’s only 9:30, if we take the Tube we’ll be there in a flash!”

“She’s been planning this for weeks,” Nino said, between mouthfuls of food. “We’ll make it!”

There were a few more classmates headed to the Camden market. Marinette loved the stalls with bohemian clothes, she heard Nino talk excitedly about the musical history of the place, Adrien seemed to be seduced by the smells coming from the food stalls, Alya spent her time around the handcrafts and antiques, Marc and Nath appreciated the artists’ kiosks. There was truly something for everyone.

Adrien and Marinette were together the whole time. At lunchtime, they bought some Thai food to share and sat on a bench to eat it.

“So… I heard Luka is touring with Jagged Stone.” Adrien started. She wondered why he would ask — she was sure everybody knew they were no longer an item.

“Yes, last I heard he was in Japan. That was a couple of months ago, though.”

Adrien looked up at her. “What? He broke up with you?” He sounded outraged.

“It was mutual. You didn’t know?” She was hesitant to continue this discussion, but her curiosity got the best of her.

“No. I kinda thought you kept it long distance.” He admitted, picking at his food with his chopsticks.

“That wouldn’t be fair to him or me, and besides, there were other issues. There were some things we just couldn’t share— this is _so_ delicious! Let me try yours!”

They swapped lunches and he said, “you’re right, this is excellent!”

“Yours is good too! I love coconut with lemongrass!” They ate in silence for a couple of minutes.

She decided to ask about his own break-up. All she knew were the rumours she’d heard at school, which weren’t always accurate.

“So… I heard you and Kagami split up, too? Are you alright talking about it?”

“Yeah, it’s been a while now. Long story short, she wanted to get out of Paris. And that was the one thing I couldn’t do. It took so many years for me to love my life again, I can’t throw it away just like that. Swap back?”

Marinette sighed glancing down at her food. “Our love lives are pretty pathetic these days, aren’t they?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that… Did I ever tell you I have a secret admirer?”

He wiggled his eyebrows, no doubt in attempts to make her laugh. Thankfully, it worked.

“Really? Well, I have an admirer too, only he’s not so secret. Or discreet. He’s pretty flamboyant, as a matter of fact.”

“Oh?” Adrien looked away for a moment and Marinette thought she saw his shoulders sag in disappointment.

She continued in a lighter tone, “yeah, and I am very flattered. He has a cute nickname for me and everything. I don’t know if it’s wise to encourage him, though. You know what they say about feeding strays… How about your secret admirer?”

“Well, I once got an unsigned Valentine,” he confessed.

“I bet you get a lot of Valentine cards though, don’t you?” she asked, keeping her eyes on her food.

“Yes, but fans usually insist on signing their names. They write their names, phone numbers, e-mails, addresses, wedding vows… No, this one was different. You see, I kind of wrote a poem for someone, and this was an exact reply to that. Only — and this is the funny part — I never finished that poem. I never gave it to that girl. I always wondered how someone could have read it. Then I remembered I threw it away at school.”

“You never sent it? Who was it for?” she asked, a little worried.

“It was meant for a very special girl. _The most_ special girl. A girl I fell for the first time I laid eyes on her.” Turning to Marinette, he took one of her hands and continued. “I looked for this girl everywhere, but she was _right there_ the whole time.”

“Who is she?” she managed, though her voice was faltering.

“You may know her. She’s not only talented, but smart — _so_ smart! — she always goes out of her way to help everybody else, and she’s pretty, no — not pretty — beautiful. She’s so awesome, half our school was in love with her. And I thought, there’s no way she’s going to like me back.”

Marinette didn’t know what to say. She’d been wrong all along. He wasn’t Chat Noir. Chat Noir had loved Ladybug, not whoever Adrien was describing. And that was a long time ago. He had a girlfriend now. At least she thought he did.

“So she goes to school with us?” she asked, unable to look back at him. He didn’t let go of her hand.

“Marinette, don’t tell me I’m wrong. Please? It’s you. It’s always been you. I’ve just been too blind to see you. Can you see me?”

She looked up at him. His eyes were hopeful and pleading at the same time.

_Kitten eyes._

“I thought I could. Now I’m not so sure. This girl you’re describing, who is she?”

“She’s my lady, my best friend, my love, my princess. It’s you, isn’t it?”

She lifted her other hand to hesitantly touch his face. Then she took his scarf and covered his eyes. He started to protest, only for her to shush him.

“I just need to see something.” She ruffled his hair and he laughed.

“Can you see me now?” He grinned and she let the scarf fall back around his neck.

“Holy f—”

“Hey guys, we better get going if we still want to see Big Ben!” Alya’s voice interrupted the interjection, and they joined their friends.

“This conversation is not over!” Marinette pointed a finger at him, right where his bell usually sat.

“I’ll be right here!”

“I hope not, or you’ll miss the train. Come on.” She stood up and offered her hand, and he took it without hesitation.

* * *

The end of their day was nothing short of magical. Hand in hand, they breezed through Soho, Chinatown and Charing Cross Road, all the way down to Trafalgar Square. The sun had almost set by now, and the holiday decorations brightened the streets with a dreamlike haze.

They stopped outside St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church — there was a choir singing Christmas carols. The lights from the Christmas tree were reflected in their eyes.

“I don’t want this day to end,” Adrien whispered. “Can we stay here forever?”

Marinette sighed and hugged him. He pulled back from her arms, looking in her eyes and holding her face in his hands. His hands were strong yet his touch was delicate, as he caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. Something reflected in her eyes, she must have known that a cold home and a colder father were all he had waiting for him.

“It doesn’t have to end tonight,” she said. “This is only the beginning.”

She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her.

Their first kiss was perfect, standing under the festive lights, listening to joyful singing, finally, _finally,_ relishing in the feeling of true love.

“I don’t care if it’s too soon.” Adrien breathed in her ear. “I love you. I’ve always loved you.”

Marinette kissed him again, then held him tighter. “I love you, too. More than you know.”

Raucous applause and whooping brought them back to reality. Marinette hid her face in Adrien’s chest in embarrassment, while he raised his fist in a victory stance, which intensified the cheering.

Big Ben was sounding the five o’clock chime when they got there. There was only time for a few photos before heading back.

Adrien didn’t leave Marinette’s side the whole way back to Paris. As she fell asleep against his shoulder in the train, just like she had done all those years ago, he felt happier than ever. He rested his head on top of hers and closed his eyes.

The trip to London had been so much more than he had hoped for. And he got the most precious gift in the world: being loved and loving back.

_*Fin*_

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism is welcome and appreciated.  
> English is not my first language and I tend to use UK English. If you catch any inconsistencies please let me know.
> 
> [My Tumblr.](https://maggies-scribblings.tumblr.com)


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